Force and Family
by Prophet McGee
Summary: Few ever suspect the Force of having a sense of humour. In the case of the Lulums, however, it shows how many different aspects a family can have and still not kill each other. Though not for lack of trying, nor having the Force intervene at every opportunity. Story follows the overall game arch mostly from the Smuggler's POV, but cameos are included. Chapter 3 up!
1. Prologue: Ord Mantell Pt 1

**A/N:** So my first go at writing in awhile, and I'm curious to see how you guys think I did. Standard disclaimer applies: Star Wars: The Old Republic and everything therein belongs to Bioware save for my characters. Enjoy!

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Force and Family

A Star Wars: The Old Republic fanfic

Prologue: Ord Mantell Pt. I

* * *

It wasn't really that far a distance, but for Corso the run might as well have been from Mannett Point to Talloran. He'd seen the expected freighter come swooping down, manoeuvring in a manner that could only be described as dancing, skipping around anti-air fire as though it were a mere nuisance and not something that could tear the whole vessel apart with a few salvos. _XS_-series freighters were notoriously tetchy with their balance and control, small mistakes equalling out to capsized ships, but this one screeched to a halt with little more than a slight wobble and stood still. The native Mantellian allowed himself a moment of awe before picking his pace back up and sprinting down to the hangar.

Inside, he found Skavak talking with whom he assumed to be the pilot, a Mirialan. The part of his mind that had urged him to warn the two about the developments in town made him get their attention, but another part, that part of the male brain that always assesses a woman, kept its focus on her. Not hard, considering she asked his name right off the bat.

Naturally, his eyes first went to her torso, like a male sizing up a potential mate, and this stranger's anatomical endowment made the caveman in him jump and hoot in excitement. Though obviously fit and athletic, this woman was _all_ curves, from the rounded oval of her face down to the wide flare of her hips. She covered herself in a black sleeveless shirt with brown leather vest, darker trews, and supple boots, though none of her clothing could hide the natural sex appeal she had. Corso didn't let her figure distract him overmuch, forcing himself to look into mischievous baby blue eyes and notice the dark, geometric tattoos spread around the corners of her mouth, cheeks, and chin. Reddish-brown hair was cut no longer than shoulder-length and pulled into a ponytail, save for a few strands that hung loose along her hairline. Even though he wasn't speaking to this stranger, he kept his gaze on her.

'Skavak, we got trouble!'

* * *

'That scum stole my ship!'

The blistering tirade of expletives that spewed from the alien's lips made Corso blush all the way to his scalp. He hadn't known anyone could swear that colourfully, or bring into question so many improbabilities about one's lineage. The tantrum lasted almost a minute before she paused, chest heaving and face flushed darkly.

'I'm going to kill that bastard. Get him on the holo!' she growled, and Corso didn't hesitate under her snapping gaze. He had to hit the call button several times before Skavak finally picked up, stretched out in a chair with a mocking smirk curling his mouth.

'Hey Corso, how's life? Oh don't give me that look, be happy you're still alive.'

'Be worried I'm not dead, you Hutt-humping sonuvabitch!' The Captain's voice literally sliced through the air, her hackles up at her new nemesis's image. 'You have no clue who you've fucked with!' While he'd seen angry women before, Corso almost cowed from the palpable force of the smuggler's rage. His money was on her if she and Skavak were ever put into a locked room together. The smirk on Skavak's projection twisted cruelly and without mirth.

'Don't care, sweetcheeks.' The unwelcome reference to her prominent posterior made the Captain bristle all the more. 'On behalf of Ord Mantell's glorious freedom fighters, I just wanna say thanks; for the blasters, the ship, and a great laugh. Oh, and thanks for the present, Corso.' The last was said as the thief waggled a blaster at them before the image cut out.

_Oh _stang_…_

Corso's hand automatically slapped his thigh holster and felt it collapse as the Captain broke out into another foul-mouthed rant. 'No… NO! That ffffraking pig lizard!' The mercenary absently berated almost swearing in front of a woman before his anger tumbled out. 'He stole my blaster! Torchy's a genuine BlasTech ALT-25 with magnatomic adhesion grips and rail-mounted rangefinder. She's too good for that jackal!' Despite her ire, the woman growled in agreement.

'You won't hear me argue.' With a sigh, Corso deflated a bit, her own plight still glaringly sore.

'Sorry, Cap. Ain't exactly fair of me to complain over my blaster when you lost your ship. I feel for ya.' Another sigh. Well, they couldn't just stand around staring at each other, not that he minded. 'Listen, Skavak and me were working for a guy named Viidu. When he hears Skavak's a sep, he'll wanna get him just as bad as you. I can hook you up and arrange introductions all around, but you'll have to get over to Fort Garnik.' At that, she snorted and cocked a hip out, fist pressing into it.

'You _do_ realise forts are filled to the brim with law-abiding types, right? Yanno, the sort we generally try to avoid?' she quipped. Corso chuckled and shook his head before speaking.

'The boss has an understanding with the base commander: He brings in supplies, keeps the staff in line, and gets the run of the place in return. Viidu's smart and has connections all over Republic space, and he's fair, to top it off: You'll work with him, not for him. If anyone can help you find your ship and Skavak, it's him.' The Captain was silent as she mulled the idea over, nodding an affirmative in short order.

'Works for me. Let's lock this place down and get out of here.' He hadn't expected the offer of help, and it must have shown one his face since she jerked a thumb to indicate the warzone outside. 'Safety in numbers. Saw seps roaming the hills on my way back and I'm not going to risk getting shot in the ass just to have a few minutes' lead on you. 'Sides, that'd be awful inconsiderate of me when you're already helping out.' Corso smiled gratefully. She was alright, this one…

'Appreciate it, Cap. Er… I don't even know what to call you,' he muttered. She blinked, as though it hadn't even occurred to her.

'Name's Catilya, but... Call me Cat. Only person who uses my full first name is Mom.'

* * *

'Farm Boy, down!'

He didn't hesitate, falling onto a knee and ducking his head as the Captain's pistols chattered and spat bursts of magenta fire. The sep that had been about to give Corso a new hole to breathe out of shrieked in pain as the incandescent bolts smashed all over his chest and sent him tumbling backwards, his breath stolen permanently. The Mirialan finished things up with a final shot to an incapacitated foe attempting to crawl away and then scanned their immediate surroundings with a keen eye. Satisfied, her weapons spun in her hands before smoothly sliding into their holsters. Corso got his rifle back into a ready carry and rose, joining her. Since leaving the hangar, they'd faced two individual squads of separatists and both times Catilya had killed the rancor's share.

It was enough to make the mercenary dole out an immense dose of respect, along with a healthy note to never piss her off. He nodded to her once. 'Thanks, Cap. I owe you one.'

'Three,' she corrected, a sideways glance and sly smirk betraying the lack of venom behind the word. 'And neither of us can hold a debt to the other until we're out of danger.' She turned to face him and gestured at the countryside around them. 'Well, you're the guide. Where to?' Looking around to get his bearings and ensure that they weren't in imminent danger of another attack, Corso pointed at a rocky hillock.

'Path should be on the other side there.' He started walking, senses stretching alertly once more. 'Leads right to Fort Garnik and as much safety as there is around here.' Catilya let out a small whoop and spanked her companion forward, her laughter ringing at the dumbfounded darkening of his face.

Getting on-base was easy enough, the guards knowing Corso by sight and simply nodding at his explanation that the newcomer was with him. He glared when they openly eyed her and then pushed past without any further incident.

'Welcome to Fort Garnik, Cap,' he said quietly as they entered the main thoroughfare. He pointed out Rendia Freight and she bounced off without waiting, leaving him to run and play catch-up.

* * *

Catilya had already been to Talloran and back by the time Corso saw her again, with nothing more than a fresh layer of dirt on her boots to show for it. Despite this, she seemed as agitated as ever.

_Guess taking out her frustrations on those seps didn't help much._

Viidu welcomed her warmly and invited her to the table where they supped, but the fiery woman declined as politely as her irritation allowed without snapping. It was obvious she was anxious to get her ship back, but when Viidu asked about Reki, Corso saw her skin shrivel in distaste.

'That slug had a whole group of women under his thumb like a personal harem.' She shuddered and Corso was certain her flesh was trying to crawl away. Viidu levelled a displeased gaze at her.

'_Had_?' That flippant smirk curled into being and revealed a dimple.

'Juma-head tried to touch me, so I laid him out and gave the ladies the blasters he'd been hiding.' Corso lifted his hand to his mouth in a poor attempt to hide his humour as Viidu's lips pressed together into a thin line and he exhaled. 'What?! He was alive when I left, and those ladies can watch after themselves and each other now. That's a win all around.'

'That'll affect business in the future.' Viidu pinched the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger for a few moments before he moved on. 'I'll worry about that later. What did he have to say regarding the separatists, Captain?' Her arms crossed in an attempt to deal with her excess of energy and immediately reversed the motion to take up pacing instead.

'He's got his own private entrance at his old home. Leads right to the hideout's maintenance tunnels, if you believe the slime.' Corso had risen to refill his cup and shook his head with a grin.

'Always did wonder how Reki managed to steal so much from Mannett Point and avoid getting pinched,' he said. Viidu rubbed his chin thoughtfully and hummed as he processed this information.

'Mannett Point's a tough nut to crack, Captain. For starters, you'll have to swim there.' At the Mirialan's child-like look of excitement, the fat man held his hands up. 'Throttle down, now. There are very few clear spots around the island that'll allow you to move without being spotted by separatists. Everywhere else is either filled with debris or the wildlife, and believe me when I say that most of it isn't friendly.' That round face went from overjoyed to the most adorably disappointed pout Corso had ever seen in a fraction of a second. Her arms crossed again as she grumbled angrily.

'So why swim?'

'Seps demolished the only bridge between the islands when they took Mannett Point. Turned it into their own little playground,' Corso explained. She tsked in irritation.

'So it's into the Hutt's maw then, huh?' She huffed. 'Guess somebody has to make it look easy.' Viidu was a bit more sobre.

'Careful with that attitude, Captain. Mannett's full of separatists who'll wipe the floor with you if you give them half a chance.' He then turned to the merc. 'Corso, see if you can't track down Skarra. We'll need a slicer kit for the data the Captain here will be bringing back.' The Mantellian's face wrinkled.

'I'd rather go with her, boss. She might need some help cutting down seps.' He felt Cat's eyes stray to the broad vibroblade strapped to his back. 'I call him Hewie, Cap.' Viidu's head shook in a negative.

'No. I want to make sure that that kit is here in time, and you're the most efficient employee I've got. Now get going.' The so-called King of Cargo fished around in a pocket for a moment before handing their guest a datapad. 'Here, Captain. Now, when you get to Mannett Point…' Dismissed, Corso let the conversation drift away as he headed out of the warehouse, though he found himself waiting on the far side of the fairway when outside. Within a few minutes, Catilya exited and paused when she saw him. A strut marked her step as she crossed over to him, wry mischief painted across her face.

'Planning on disobeying the boss, Farm Boy?' she asked. He shook his head.

'Nah. Just wanted to catch you before you ran off.' He took a breath to steady himself before proceeding. 'Captain, you sure you wanna go to Mannett Point all by yourself?' The woman's brow rutted a bit.

'Cat or Cap,' she corrected automatically, to which he just lifted a shoulder in silent apology. 'And while your concern's cute, I've got it covered.' She used her chin to gesture past him, towards the front entrance to the fort. Turning, Corso saw a hulking mass of white duraplast that resembled a man stumping on over to them, rifle held in a ready carry. The lack of helmet allowed him to see that, like the Captain, he was Mirialan, though beyond that the similarities ended. He had blond hair, reddish eyes, and yellow-green skin in contrast to Catilya's red-brown locks, baby blues, and darker pigmentation. The stranger stopped a few metres away and nodded to her.

'Midget,' he offered by way of greeting. Her grin was lazy as she approached.

'S'going on, lunkhead?' she jibed as she held out her arms to the man and was swept up into a hearty embrace, squealing when her feet left the deckplates. Corso blinked confoundedly.

'Er…' he muttered, at a loss for words. _Well, that was unexpected…_ The soldier let her down and Catilya turned to face him, leaning into the man's frame comfortably. Her grin was downright evil.

'The walking tank's Serrase, Farm Boy. My little brother.' The newcomer whapped her shoulder with surprising control, and she twisted to stick her tongue out at him.

'Oh,' Corso said lamely, letting out a breath he hadn't known he'd even been holding. _'__Little' doesn't exactly cut it._ 'Uh… hi?' He held a hand out in greeting, which was promptly encased in the other man's mitt and Corso discovered that his size wasn't simply for show.

'Nice to meet you… I take it his name isn't Farm Boy, Cat,' he threw down to his sister. She chuckled and slapped an armoured thigh.

'His name's Corso, you granite slug, and he's good people. So quit trying to crush his masturbating hand.' Serrase laughed, a deep sound that buzzed in the blushing Mantellian's ears, then blood rushed painfully back into his fingers as the giant eased his grip. Corso kept himself casual and didn't shake the needling sensation away. 'Good luck, I guess?'

Her tongue brushed her lower lip as she laughed. 'Got more of it than you know, Farm Boy. And if that fails, I got backup.' She boffed her brother's cuirass and pushed away. 'See you when I get back. C'mon, biggun, let's go find us some trouble.' Serrase grunted as he shipped his rifle and pulled a helmet into place.

'I'm pretty sure trouble already knows exactly where you're at…'

* * *

Sure enough, Corso managed to find Skarra, secure a slicer kit, and make it back to the warehouse before the Mirialan duo returned to base. The crotchety old Iridonian didn't make it easy, though given that he had what he'd come for, Corso didn't much care. Viidu was continuing his indulgence when their mutual friend sauntered in to the business parlour, thankfully free of her armoured escort and sopping wet. A bandage covered a small patch of skin on her upper right arm, though otherwise she seemed whole.

'Captain!' Viidu exclaimed with obvious relief. 'I feared you weren't coming back.' Corso silently agreed. 'By all that's holy, tell me you got the data we need!' Catilya flipped them a confident grin as her hand produced the slim datapad, bound in a polymer sheet for waterproofing.

'Course I did. Maybe I should have charged double for my thrilling heroics. And there were MANY thrilling heroics.' Her face hardened as Viidu took the pad from her. 'Might wanna start keeping a closer eye on your minions, though. Three of your boys went after Syreena. I left 'em with bruises for the trouble. One of 'em might have a busted bean bag, but he'll live.' Viidu groaned as he clutched the object in both hands.

'Great. Last thing we need is for word to get out and those yokels to start spinning the rumour mill. If they start smelling more opportunity, the warehouse staff is going to make trouble.' Corso's eyes narrowed, knuckles crackling as he clenched his fists.

'Want me to start busting skulls, boss?' he asked. The merchant shook his head after a moment's consideration.

'No. Keep an ear to the ground, but otherwise stay quiet for now and let things run their course. If any of the staff makes another ruckus, we'll clean house.' He reached for his cup and downed a long swallow. 'In the meantime, we can go ahead and work on getting this data decrypted. You did an amazing job, Captain. Corso got us the kit we'll need, though if I know Reki it'll be some time before his encryption's broken, and given that it's getting dark outside I'd suggest we hunker down for the night.' She nodded, boots squishing as she shifted her weight.

'There any way I can get these cleaned?' she asked. 'Maybe find replacements for the night?' Viidu smiled and gestured with one arm as he began walking around the table.

'Of course, Captain. Anything I can do to help, nevermind the fact that you've more than earned it.' A glance backwards allowed him to somewhat-professionally size her up. 'We recently got in a shipment of luxury items, mostly expensive food and clothes for some government fat cats, but given the circumstances they can get stuffed. Failing that, there's also a container or three of clothing items for the general populace. Should have something that'll suit you.'

'So long as it doesn't chafe and you've got a pair of pants that I can wear without destroying at the seams,' she sniped. Corso, walking behind her, stole a glance at her legs and enjoyed the mental image. 'Keep staring, Farm Boy.' He flushed and blustered all the way down to the warehouse floor while she cackled.

* * *

Corso stepped into the Avilatan's Rest, looked around, and shook his head in amusement: The Captain had almost shut the place down and happy hour was barely finished. She looked fantastic in her new clothes; a billowy, cream-coloured shirt hung nicely on her frame and her hips were ensconced in a brown pair of shorts that she'd gleefully snatched, among a few other outfits . A pair of knee-highs finished out the look nicely and brought into stark appearance why she'd made the quip about her legs earlier: While she was wider and more curvaceous to begin with, her thighs rippled with nothing but hard muscle. Corso felt a sympathetic pang for the warehouse grunt she'd mentioned having a 'busted bean bag' earlier. The merc sidled up next to the green-skinned woman silently and cocked a brow at the bartender, who placed a mug of what was presumably ale in front of him after a few moments before shrugging in helpless apology. 'Nothing but the local brew left. Sorry.'

'Heeeey, Farm Boy,' came the slightly slurred greeting as she swayed far less than he guessed she should be, given the amount of alcohol she had to have ingested. 'Join me?' Corso got a momentary buzz as her breath washed over him. _Just how much have you had to drink, Captain? And you're still standing!_ He was amazed he didn't pass out then and there. That aside, he'd come to find her if for no other reason than her company, though sharing libation wouldn't hurt. Letting a smile slip into place, he twisted to look at the smuggler as he took his drink in hand.

'What're we drinking to, Captain?' he asked. A tuneless hum rolled out of her throat while she bobbed side-to-side and thought. Finally her glass was raised, contents sloshing to the rim haphazardly.

'T'Torchy an' the _Folly_! Th'best blaster n' ship in the sector!' she toasted before emptying the rest of her drink into her throat. Corso let a moment pass and drank a healthy swallow. The empty cup was placed carelessly onto the bar and Catilya belched loudly, drawing surprised glances from everyone except the tender and nearby servers. A fist thumped her chest as she exhaled any excess gas and shook her head rapidly to clear her senses somewhat. All this served to make her breasts bounce pleasantly, the motions drawing his gaze long enough for him to figure out that she wasn't wearing _anything_ beneath her shirt. Flushing slightly, he dragged his eyes upward in time to catch the knowing and mischievous light in her baby blues. One hand came up to rub the back of his neck.

'Th-thanks again for saving my hide today, Cap,' he stammered, looking anywhere else but her as the colour reached his cheeks. Catilya smiled and gently bumped her hip into his own with an easy familiarity, as though she'd done it an untold number of times before.

'Ya kept my bacon outta th'fire, so we're pretty much even. S'not always easy keeping my ass safe, given how big a target it makes.' The last was said with a wink and flash of her pink tongue. Corso chuckled a bit as his entire face went hot. She swayed more while they made small talk, bumping him again and downing two more of whatever she was drinking before he'd even finished his own. Finally, the tender had enough and cut her off. This naturally led to a furious round of swearing until Corso got her out and into the night air, with her grumbling the whole way. Somehow, he managed to get her back to Rendia Freight and to the second-deck bunking area without her passing out or starting another fight.

'Here you go, Cap,' he said as he guided her to the corner of the room he normally occupied, where she fell unceremoniously onto his rack. Corso snickered softly under his breath and worked carefully to undo her gun belt, hanging it next to his rifle and Hewie before sitting down on the edge to kick off his boots. A few moments after he'd crawled into the bunk next to hers, he discovered something new about the Captain.

She snored. Loudly.

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**A/N:** Hope y'all enjoyed the read. C/C and reviews are always welcome but never required


	2. Prologue: Ord Mantell Pt 2

**A/N:** Managed to bang this out pretty quickly, so I'm a bit proud of myself. Lemme know how I did. Whoever finds the Firefly references wins the internet. Standard disclaimer applies: Star Wars: The Old Republic and everything therein belongs to Bioware, except for my characters.

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Force and Family

A Star Wars: The Old Republic fanfic

Prologue: Ord Mantell Pt. 2

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The first thing Corso woke up to was a loud cry of pain. He jerked upright, sleep evaporating after a few blinks of his eyes, then rolled to his feet and grabbed his rifle in one fluid movement, dashing out of the bunk room.

'Get your gorram hands off me, you scummy nerf-fuckers!' The sound of Catilya's wrath and struggling drew the Mantellian's gaze and aim to the left, somewhere among the crates on the floor. There was the sound of an impact and another yelp, followed by the Captain's unique brand of swearing and a thump as something hit the decking. By the time Corso got there she'd beaten her attackers off, and he was almost surprised. _Almost_ being the operative word: the slimebag Bracco and two of the shadier warehouse workers lay on the ground, seeing stars. Things clicked instantly in his head, the edges of his vision reddening with anger.

'Looks like we got some spring cleaning to do, Captain,' he said, sparing a glance at the Mirialan. She'd seen better mornings, but even with tousled hair, bloodshot eyes, and creases from the pillow case still lining her forehead she looked absolutely beautiful. Not that any of the boys decorating the deckplates could see that over the primed barrels of her blasters.

'First one who tries something is going into the Void at muzzle velocity,' she growled, then bellowed as loudly as her throbbing head allowed for the warehouse's master. It wasn't enough, and she winced when Corso raised his voice to try. Viidu appeared at the railing in a few moments' time, clad in a loose robe belted around his bloated belly with Syreena following at his elbow.

'What?' he snapped grumpily, eyes narrowing at the scene as gears turned in his head. Corso chimed in to fill the missing spots.

'They went after the Captain, boss.' The fat merchant's gaze darkened. He looked from the three men lying very still under the watchful gaze of the trio of blasters to the woman's mussed appearance.

'Your opinion, Captain Lulum?' Catilya shrugged.

'Shoot 'em or cut 'em loose, doesn't make a difference to me.' Bracco cringed at the callous indifference in her voice. Viidu observed for several more seconds before his voice boomed out.

'Bracco, get your sorry carcass off my floor and out of my warehouse. Take your thugs, too, and don't bother getting your things, they're forfeit.' Slowly, as though not sure if it was all a trap, the Zabrak got his feet under him and kicked his Weequay companions to do the same, then they all limped toward the front entrance.

'You're gonna regret this, Captain,' he tossed over his shoulder. Cat responded by putting a blaster bolt barely a centimetre from his foot. Bracco yalped and scurried off. Neither Corso nor the smuggler lowered their weapons for long moments, making sure the three were gone before relaxing. A few of the other warehouse workers that had been watching, those either too loyal to Viidu to try anything or unwilling to move against him, started filtering away.

'You two come on up, we can talk over breakfast.' Catilya's stomach rumbled just then, and Corso realized how hungry he was himself. Slinging his rifle over a shoulder, Corso started up the ramp leading to the second storey, followed closely by the smuggler. In Viidu's parlour, she plopped heavily into a chair and immediately laid her head on her arms such that it blocked out as much light and noise as possible. The mercenary took pity on her and poured a cup of water, placing it and a chalky white pill in front of her. She turned enough to glare balefully at the items for several moments, the others carrying on with preparing their platters, before reaching for the pill with several muffled curses. Both the white drop and water were downed in one go, Corso refilling the glass as he slid a plate loaded with all the essentials someone getting over a hangover needed in front of her, and she dug in with gusto while the others sat down. Little was said as they devoured their meals and the Mirialan slowly began feeling better. Finally, she pushed her plate away, head coming down to rest on her arms again.

'So what've you got for me, Viidu?' she asked when restored to a modicum of normality. The merchant paused in the middle of his third plate to wipe his mouth off before speaking.

'I don't normally like to discuss business over my morning caf, Captain.' At her arched eyebrow, he hurriedly continued. 'Given the circumstances, though, I can make an exception.'

_Score one for you, Captain_

'Reki's data is still being decrypted. Man's coding is as slippery as he is. Should have it done and finished by noon, though. Until then, however, we need something that'll keep Rogun off our backs. Syreena managed to stall him last night, but it won't last.' He paused and took a breath before proceeding. 'There's a scientist named Trymbo who lives at a village a short way out from here, Oradam. Guy's as loopy as a faulty plasma coil, but he manufactures a brilliantly unique chemical capable of supercharging artillery cannons. Basically makes them do more damage.' Corso interjected sharply.

'The 'Big Boom Run'?! Boss, I know Rogun'd be happy as a ronto in a grain silo, but that's blasted dangerous.' The Mirialan sniffed and looked to her defender.

'Can't be worse than a Hutt's larder, Farm Boy.' Corso's dreadlocks bobbed as his head shook.

'You ain't getting it, Cap: Most people come back from this run with chunks missing, and that's if they come back at all. That superbrew Trymbo makes is cool, sure, but it's less stable than a tanked savrip trying to play hopscotch. One tiny slip, maybe you stumble on a pebble, and boom: Suddenly you're little bits of ex-Captain raining down on the landscape,' he explained. Viidu held his hands up placatingly.

'Yes, it's dangerous, but there are ways around that. I have a storage unit designed specifically to help stabilise the canister and significantly reduce the chances of death by fantastic explosion. It still won't save you if it's jarred hard enough, though so long as you're careful that isn't an issue. Did I also mention that this run has a five-digit price tag attached?' Catilya sighed and straightened, palms pressing into her eyes while she yawned.

'Well, I'm not exactly keen on getting blown to pieces, but having Rogun get his hands on me is even less appealing. 'Sides, I wasn't planning on living forever, anyways. I'm in' she finally said. Viidu clapped and smiled in delight while Corso's face became even more grim.

'Excellent, Captain. I won't even bother trying to negotiate your cut down. If you'll excuse me, I'll go ahead and bring you that storage unit.' Their host rose and bustled off. Syreena finished her plate and began gathering the dishes as Corso leaned in towards the Mirialan.

'Before you leave for this one, Cap, come see me. We should talk.' Catilya grinned and bumped her shoulder into his.

'You whisper the kinkiest things to me, Farm Boy. It's a date!' she said loudly. The mercenary nearly jumped out of his seat in shock when she pressed a kiss to his cheek, her face nothing short of devilish as she turned and strolled out, wiggling her derrière at him from the doorway.

'Ugh. Do I want to know?' Syreena's voice dripped scorn. Corso turned beet red and somehow managed to not die of an aneurysm.

* * *

The smuggler captain had changed back into her previous day's garb when they ran into each other again, clearly much more at ease in the familiar clothing. That Mephistophelian grin plastered itself into place the moment she saw him, pushing off the warehouse wall to sashay over and twine her arms around his neck. The moment he tried to step back, she had a heel against his own. Entrapped, he sighed in resignation.

'Well hey, cutie,' she purred, flipping the toothpick between her teeth from one side of her mouth to the other and back. A quick glance with her eyes told him Syreena was watching. He wondered at her propensity and delight in embarrassing him.

'Captain,' he said simply with a nod. 'Can't exactly give ya Viidu's case with you so close.' Her lips formed a disappointed pout and she disentangled herself with seeming reluctance, though he caught the smile in her eyes. A part of him grinned with her, though he tried to not let it show as he hoisted the empty durasteel case up and cracked it open to reveal the inner workings. Catilya bent at the waist and peered in, cooing with pleasure as she saw the thing's guts. 'Nice. Canister hangs freely, has plenty of insulation for the initial layer of protection, and the supports absorb most of the remaining shock from impacts.' Corso's eyebrows formed an arch and she winked at him. 'Not my first rodeo, Farm Boy. That and I may or may not have devised something similar with my sibs when we were young to play pranks on our guardians.' The man chuckled.

'How many you got, if you don't mind me asking?'

'Aside from Serrase, there's my older brother Bel, and younger sister Mera.' Her expression became wan. 'Bel's a bounty hunter, and you more or less know Ser's story. We… haven't seen Mer in some years.' Corso felt himself treading on unwelcome ground, but before he could make amends the woman perked up as though nothing was wrong. 'Well, enough of that.' She closed the case and took it from him smoothly. 'Anything else?' Corso nodded.

'Just one thing, Captain.' She smacked his shoulder hard enough for it to sting.

'Cat or Cap, you gundark,' she said without malice. He raised his hands in supplication before reaching around to the small of his back and producing the item stashed there.

'This here's a SoroSuub SSK Heavy blaster. I cut her for a quick draw and installed a hair trigger with burst-fire settings. Accuracy drops significantly past twenty metres, but the larger bore more than makes up for it. She's great as either your main gun or a holdout. Not quite one of those custom Wesk/Leth-29's you got, but she'll do in a pinch. I call her Flashy.' Catilya squealed in joy and hefted the gun experimentally.

'For me?! Hm... Balance is good... Heavy for a holdout,' she commented, to which Corso nodded.

'All-metal construction, except for the focussing crystals. No ceramics or plastic parts, including the grip. The rangefinder uses a laser, so it pretty much doubles as a sight. Makes for a good club if there's nothing else around. Found that out on a hunting trip.' She spun around in place with the weapon hugged to her chest.

'Awwwh, Farm Boy, you shouldn't have.' The Mantellian chuckled as his hands went to his hips.

'Glad you like her, Captain. Flashy's the first blaster I ever owned, and I want you to have her.' At her questioning look, he pressed on. 'Not that you aren't talented, but you'll need an edge to make sure you come back in one piece, and you get that with Flashy. I'll be breathing a whole lot easier knowing you're ready for anything.' Cat smiled genuinely and patted his cheek.

'Thanks, Corso.' Then she went back to business mode and stowed her new possession, stooping to pick the storage case up and heading for the front door with a backwards wave. 'See ya in few hours. I'll holo if things go pear-shaped. And speaking of pear-shaped; keep staring, Farm Boy.' He couldn't keep his eyes from dropping onto her hips.

His stammering bluster could be heard from outside.

* * *

Corso was running messages for Viidu when he saw Catilya lugging the storage case and a sack slung over her shoulder from the direction of the speeder pad, the mountain of white armour she called her brother keeping pace beside her. Serrase nodded as they approached one another, but before the Mantellian could reply his hands were filled with durasteel. Cat rotated her arm to work the kinks out.

'Frack, but that thing gets heavy after a few kilometres.' A dirty look lashed sideways at her sibling. 'Not like I had help, either.' Though he couldn't see his face under the helmet, Corso imagined that Serrase rolled his eyes.

'I'm not here as your personal loader droid, Midget. I've got business of my own and I'm already going to catch hell for having a civ tag along on a top-secret op. Speaking of, they want to see me at HQ.' With that, the giant began marching away. 'Don't let her walk all over you, Corso,' he tossed back over his shoulder. Cat's scowl didn't leave Serrase's back until he disappeared.

'Fucking bantha brain,' she muttered angrily. The mercenary shuffled on his feet uncertainly. She let out a long breath and then gestured for him to follow. The silence between them stretched a bit.

'So… What happened?' he finally queried. The smuggler spat on the side of the fairway, her toothpick swishing around her mouth.

'Poster Boy for the Republic's still got that gigantic pole up his ass, is what. He's my brother and I love him to death, but some days I just wanna brain him. Been like that since we were tiny. Well, as tiny as he ever got. According to Mom, he started outgrowing the rest of us when we were all three. Didn't matter much, me and Bel used to toss his ass around the yard all the time.' Corso stopped at what he was hearing.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait. When you were _all_ three?' Cat stopped and twisted at the waist, looking at him like he'd grown an extra head.

'Yeah, that would be the implication. We're fraternal quadruplets. I know, they're about as rare as a krayt dragon pearl. Mom and Dad are both Jedi. Might've had something to do with it, though I don't buy into that like the fuzzy-wuzzies back on Mirial. Still, it's either the Force or freak chance and I find the Force option more entertaining, inasmuch as that hoodoo makes sense,' she explained. He stood looking dumbfounded in the middle of the fairway until she dragged him out of the path of an approaching cargo speeder. With an exasperated breath, she reclaimed the storage unit and entered Rendia Freight without waiting. Corso managed to regain his composure and followed a few seconds behind, entering the parlour to find Viidu beside himself with excitement.

'This is excellent, Captain!' The merchant gripped her by the shoulders and shook her gently as he buzzed. 'That container is about to save our hides. Rogun will be too busy trying to make a profit to worry about us or those blasters for a good while. Tell that story at the cantina tonight and I guarantee you'll have no shortage of drinks.' Her mouth curled in a lopsided grin.

'Trust me, buddy, there're plenty of guys willing to pay my tab.' They both enjoyed a laugh while Corso grimaced inwardly from his post against a nearby chair. Cat then dumped the sack she'd carried along with the case on the table, pulling out a flatcake and liquid storage container while Viidu went off to arrange the sale, not bothering with a glass as she munched on her snack. Corso turned one down when she offered.

'Where'd you get flatcakes, Captain?' She swatted him again and he rolled his eyes playfully. 'I know, I know. Seriously, though, where'd you get 'em?' She grabbed the treat between thumb and forefinger before explaining.

'Trymbo's not just nuts, he's several fighters short of a squadron, and his wife's got the same touch. She wouldn't let me leave without them when I visited their home in Oradam.' Corso's eyebrows drew together.

'Then where was Trymbo?' The Mirialan snerked in her throat.

'On the beach, throwing sonic grenades into the water and calling it 'fishing'.' He laughed from his belly at that and finally accepted one of the cakes. Viidu came back a short while later smiling ear to ear, his girlfriend hanging on his arm.

'Captain! I've got good news and then I have great news: Those separatist files were finally cracked, and we have Skavak's location.' Syreena placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently.

'Sweetie, you know you shouldn't get excited. Don't forget your heart…' He brushed the concerns away with a gesture.

'I know, dear, but this is going to be amazing. Skavak won't see what's coming for him!' Cat was out of her seat in a heartbeat, snack forgotten.

'You found my ship?!'

'Your ship and the blasters. We can get back everything we lost all at once. Great, isn't it?' Viidu folded his pudgy hands over his stomach as he paced a bit. 'Your ship is in the separatist base. Crazies built it inside Mount Avilatan. It's not active, but that still isn't exactly a point in favour of their intelligence. Skavak took the blasters to the separatist base to make a quick profit off of our misfortune, but they needed time to gather the credits: He wouldn't take anything less than hard currency, so he should still be there.' Catilya's eyes held a hopeful gleam even as Corso spat hatefully.

'Can't expect much more from rabid murderers. That volcano should just blow its top and get it over with.' Cat gave him a sad, fleeting look that he didn't quite expect. Viidu, used to his employee's outbursts, carried on obliviously.

'Skavak's contact at the sep base is some psycho named Dareg. According to the files, you should still have some time to get there first. Show up, ambush Skavak, get your ship, and haul jets back here. Should be simple, no?' Cat leaned sideways a bit a hand planted itself on her hip

'I'll make it look that way. Time for payback.' She flashed a grin. 'Consider yourselves lucky. You get to see a real live hero in action, today.' Viidu chuckled and held up a pair of fingers.

'Make that two heroes, Captain. I'm not sending you into the acklay's nest alone. Corso, you'll accompany her. Kid knows more about blasters and vibroblades than anyone this side of the Outer Rim.' The man nodded and looked to the alien.

'It'll be good to come along again, Captain. I owe that jackal Skavak something fierce for stealing Torchy. Lower than low, that.' Catilya rolled her eyes and groaned.

'Except for you calling me that, Farm Boy. Much as I'll enjoy the backup, how many times do I have to tell you? Cat or Cap.' Viidu watched the display patiently, Corso smiling and lifting his shoulders.

'Very good, it's a deal. The base is pretty spread out and separatist numbers aren't so swollen that the place will be wall to wall with the scum. That said, don't get cocky. They've still got a sizeable force. You two may be exemplary, but you're going up against far superior numbers.' Cat scoffed lightly.

'Way my luck's been lately, I've got a feeling we won't be alone.' At Viidu's questioning look, she simply shook her head. 'Just trust me, big guy.' The merchant shrugged.

'Alright. You two should be getting out of here, we don't have an overabundance of time. Give Skavak my regards before you fry him.'

No-one noticed Syreena slipping around the corner and out of sight as the two made off.

* * *

Fazak's mouth yawned widely. He hated standing guard duty, especially at the front barricades, when there were Republic bastards to kill. It didn't matter that their fortunes in the war to free Ord Mantell had turned, he just wanted to get out there and start blasting. Something had come down from On High about intruders headed their way, but he doubted it. Feeling his stomach gurgle, he sighed and pulled out the remaining stub of his cigarra. While he was wary of starting a habit, he couldn't deny that the tabacc's hunger-suppressing qualities were useful on watch. He'd just flicked open the antique lighter he carried when three shots cracked through the air. Every perimeter guard dropped in sync. Long moments passed before a trio of forms slowly slunk forward from the hillock a few hundred metres ahead. One took notice of the aurodium flash in his still-warm hand and grabbed it up, rifling through his pockets as the other bodies were checked. A green hand produced a slim silver case and popped it open to reveal a miniature humedor with three more cigarras.

'Shiny,' Catilya remarked as she snapped the case shut and pocketed it along with the lighter. _It'll have to do until I get the_ Folly_ back_.

'Anything else good?' she asked quietly. Corso and Serrase shook their heads. 'Mostly ammo and personal mementos, Captain. Not enough credits between them to buy a 'hopper ride to Worlport.' Serrase, naturally, had been eyeing their kit.

'Weaponry is surprisingly new tech, considering these are home-grown country folk,' he remarked. Corso bristled a bit.

'Meaning?' he challenged. Serrase's reply was very even.

'I've done enough tours on rural planets to know that the type of people you typically meet use older model weaponry, either due to there being no shipments or the 'tried and true' adage. No disrespect intended. Also, these weapons are Imperial models.' That particular bit got their attention very quickly. Corso looked back at the cooling corpses and then at the ground as his mind worked.

'I knew it…' The Mirialans waited as patiently as they could. 'I fucking KNEW IT!' Corso let his slip of the tongue pass by, too infuriated by the implications to care. His anger burned for only a few moments before it came down to a simmer, though the tension in his movements gave it away. The native exhaled long and slow, eyes burning darkly as he gazed at the entrance.

'Let's go find that snake, Captain, before I decide to go one-man army on the whole base…' Cat chuckled and held out the cigarra she'd just lit, putting the vice between her teeth when he declined. They ran over their gear quickly, tightening down clothing and armour, checking the charge levels on their power packs and grabbing spare ones where both needed and compatible. Looking at the mixture of architecture and tectonic wonder, Cat sucked on the cigarra a moment and let a lazy wisp of smoke curl up into the air before glancing at her companions with that flippant grin of hers.

'Ready to go kick some ass, boys?'

* * *

'Frag out!'

Corso got off another volley of fire before he ducked down behind the stack of crates he was using as cover. A silvery sphere, no larger than a man's fist, arced out into the air between the three intruders and their foes, bouncing behind the far pieces of defilade. A moment later its detonator activated, breaking the duralloy shell into sharp shards and flinging them outwards in a fantastically lethal, three-hundred-and sixty-degree wave. Two of the separatists that had been sheltering there were sliced to ribbons immediately, and a nearby third had his skeleton crushed and internal organs liquefied from the blast. The remaining two were peppered by shrapnel and scattered out of cover as they shrieked over their wounds. Cat put them out of their misery with a pair of snap headshots.

'Moving up!' she called out, scurrying forward with her weapons at the ready. Serrase provided rear guard as they tromped along the catwalks, despatching separatists whenever they came upon them with swift intent. Finally the trooper's wrist pad beeped and he stopped, turning off to the side as his vocabulator shut down for a personal call. The other two waited nearby until he was done.

'This is my stop. And I _really_ can't let you come along this time, Midget.' Catilya exhaled with an exaggerated flair.

'Fiiiine. Just… stay safe, yeah?' They shared a brief embrace.

'Stay out of trouble.'

'No promises.' He laughed and spun on his heel for one particular passageway. Corso put a careful hand on her shoulder.

'He'll be fine. He's SpecOps, right?' The smuggler remained silent. 'C'mon, Captain. Let's go get you your ship.' His shoulder stung a moment later. 'Yeah, yeah. I know.'

* * *

Cold durasteel pressed against the kid's head as he cowered in a fetal position, hands clutching his groin while a pained moan escaped his throat. Stars above, that woman could _kick_.

'I surrender!' Well, he hadn't known his voice could reach that particular pitch.

How had it come to this? The two intruders had walked up, merry as you please and outnumbered three to one. Despite that, Morant had had a bad feeling about confronting them. Dareg, pig-headed bantha that he was, spouted his drivel and touched metal first. The young freedom fighter hadn't even had time to see the alien draw or her partner shoot. All he heard was the chatter of blaster fire and the thumps of bodies hitting the decking. His hand had been on the handle of his pistol, but that creeping tendril of fear he'd had about this whole thing had him frozen stiff.

It was probably why he was still alive, less the chances for fathering a family of his own.

'Yeesh, Cap. You must've lifted him half a metre up!' Morant managed a croaking gasp.

'He's a shrimp, Farm Boy. And you should see me when I put all my effort behind it. I won a fight with a Wookiee like that, once.' He felt more than saw the other man's sympathetic cringe.

'Don't wanna die,' the kid managed. 'Know… Why you're here.' The muzzle pressing into his forehead prodded him a bit.

'That so? Enlighten me, youngin.' He smelled the stench of cigarra smoke. Repulsive as it was, between it and the cold plating beneath his body he was able to focus past the screen of pain holding his mind down.

'Wasting your time. Skavak's long gone. Got tipped off. Knew you were coming.' Scorching curses filled the air as the woman launched into a rant that would have earned Morant a mouth-washing, even at his age.

'Skavak delivered the guns,' he continued. 'Tricked us. Stole some rusty droid. Ancient, useless. Dareg should've told you, got the others killed instead.' A snort came from above. He recognised the man's voice

'That's what you get for trusting that snake.' Morant felt obliged to nod in agreement, stopping when nausea hit him again. The human took a few moments to recover, the Mirialan's gun digging into his flesh once more. He got the point.

'Left in your ship. I don't know where, but I know who does: girl named Syreena. She's our contact at the fort. Let us know you were coming.' The calm that followed made Morant more afraid than when the stranger had been angry. Finally, she spoke.

'I'm going to kill that bitch.'

* * *

Syreena had been stupid to even try drawing on Catilya in the first place. She was even more stupid for trying to draw first. The nerve of her, suggesting she get to just walk away clean after killing Viidu. Morant, she could understand. The kid was young, idealistic, and had pretty much been pressganged into the separatist movement. But Syreena…

Her thoughts took a dark turn as she stared at the woman's corpse.

'Well, fuck.' Cat scratched at the back of her neck in irritation.

'Jeez, Cap. That was kinda vicious. It's one thing to shoot in self-defence, but you goaded her into drawing.' She looked over her shoulder at Corso.

'And I'd do it again, Farm Boy. She had a choice, she knew that touching her weapon was a guaranteed shot between the eyes, and she still did it. Not my fault she had the gall to court Death without the skill to survive.' His lips pressed together, a sigh escaping him a few moments later. 'You saying you wouldn't shoot a woman, even if she's staring at you down her sights?' He chuffed.

'Like I said, it's one thing if it's self-defence. Cap, I was raised to tip my hat, open doors, and pull out chairs for ladies, not shoot 'em. Call me an old-fashioned, backwards farm boy if you will, but that's the way I am.' Surprisingly, her mouth curled a bit at that.

'Old-fashioned? Yeah. Backwards? Not particularly. It's kinda cute. So long as you know the difference, I'm happy.' A hint of colour crept into his cheeks.

'Well, uh… Thanks, Cap.' His gaze fell on the King of Cargo's body. 'Poor guy. He'd have loved to hear what happened today. Would've put such a smile on his face.' Catilya nodded.

'Yeah… We should be going. Much as I'm glad that franging bitch is dead, I believe what she said about Rogun sending bounty hunters after us,' she said. Corso exhaled.

'Let's get that shuttle pass and split, then.'

* * *

Cat watched the sky open up as they left atmo, a soft sound escaping her. The shuttle only had one viewport per side, but she got the lucky seat and had quite the view. It felt good to leave Ord Mantell behind. Not because the whole ordeal had been one debacle after another, nor that she had hated tromping through the mud. Hell, that she'd had to add tallies to her body count didn't even matter much in this case.

She was back in space.

True, it wasn't onboard the _Folly_, her home. Crammed into a shuttle with Corso, Serrase, and a Cathar, there was little room to move about. But still: Space. There was nothing like it.

Now all that remained was to put Skavak out of her misery.

* * *

**A/N: **So one plot hole (among others) I never understood was why you had to do the Big Boom Run without Viidu letting you in on the secret of his stabilising unit. Seemed kinda contradictory when the goal was to -not- get blow'd up. No handle attached? No problem, just weld one on. It's too heavy? Bullshit, if the chemical canister was small enough to be handled by a sentient humanoid, then so's the crate that'll keep you safe. Worst case scenario they can rent out a speeder and lash the damn thing to that. Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed the read. Pics of the Lulum Legacy will be forthcoming. Again, reviews, comments, and c/c are always welcome


	3. Chapter 1: Boarding Action

**A/N:** Gods, this was a slog... But it's up now. Better late than never. I would like to thank the incredibly talented and awesome clicketykeys for allowing me the use of her Twi'lek Bell'aria. You're the best, hon. Disclaimer: Star Wars: The Old Republic and everything therein is property of BioWare. Star Wars is property of Disney. I only own my characters.

* * *

Force and Family

A Star Wars: The Old Republic fanfic

Chapter 3: Boarding Action

There was a spring in Catilya's stride as she stepped off the shuttle's boarding ramp that had not been there on Ord Mantell. A few paces from the craft, she paused, head tilting back as she inhaled deeply of the hangar bay's scents; of machine oil, hydraulic fluids, engine exhaust, and recycled atmosphere. Corso observed from off to her right, not expecting the smile she graced him with over a shoulder to be one of contentment. He felt his mind go blank, and it took the Mantellian a few moments to realize that she'd asked him something.

'Do what now, Cap? What were we talking about?' The happy light in her eyes dimmed but did not disappear entirely, her brow creasing slightly in exasperation.

'Nevermind. C'mon, Farm Boy. Plenty of time between now and the ride to Coruscant, and there's bound to be a cantina on this hulk somewhere.' The Mirialan tugged her haversack into place and started off without waiting, leaving Corso to play catch-up once again. One turbolift ride later and Cat was following the familiar sounds of kloo horn, xantha, and mandolin until she whooped in triumph.

'Jackpot!' she crowed, punching her companion's shoulder in her happiness after seeing that the centre of the level they were on was dedicated to nothing but bar space. 'First round's on me.' A few minutes later they were tucked away into an unobtrusive booth, the Captain's boots kicked up on the table and a crystal tumbler resting on her stomach. She sighed lightly, much more relaxed than Corso had ever seen her on Ord Mantell. He, in contrast, sat more on edge, gaze regularly sweeping their surroundings while his Andoan ale warmed . Cat just smiled and shook her head. 'Relax, Farm Boy. You see those fellas in armour marching all over the place like they've got a drill instructor's boot shoved up their collective ass?' she sniped. Her companion just raised an eyebrow and she brushed her hair out of her eyes. 'They're called soldiers. Yanno, like Serrase? They make sure shit doesn't go down out here. Plus the tenders are packing. Relax.' He looked from Cat to the aforementioned barmen, to the soldiers regularly patrolling by, and back to her.

'Uh, Cap? Dunno if you noticed… but they're Republic.' The woman's face took on a look of shock.

'Nooooo…' The edges of her eyes crinkled in humour. 'Dealing with Pubs is better than dealing with Imps, one way or the other. Besides, they're not looking for us. Unless you've got alotta skeletons in your closet I don't know about.' She peered at him suspiciously and they shared laughter. Then their reverie was broken as Catilya's comm chirped at her. Corso decided he didn't like the way her face creased when she glanced at the sender's ID. Despite her remarks about being wary, she glanced around furtively and angled her body away from the central bar before accepting the call and opening a channel. Though he'd never seen the durasteel-plated man that shimmered into being above the hand-held device, Corso felt he had a good idea who the other dark-haired, bright-eyed Mirialan was. The figure grinned at Cat, arms crossing over his chest.

'How's it going, short stack?' His voice was deep, and far rougher than Corso would have guessed.

'Bel…' she replied evenly. 'Not to be a rancor in a pottery shop, but what's up? We're in a public area.' The man grunted, one hand reaching up to scratch at the dark patch of whiskers covering his chin.

'I'll be blunt and quick, then. Just arrived at my destination. Not from when you dropped me off: Afterwards.' He glanced about furtively and leaned in, voice dropping. 'Don't ask how I know, but Imperials are targeting Republic transports. If you're moving around Pub space, _anywhere_ at all, be careful. And don't bother checking the 'Net, nothing's making the news.' Cat's brow pinched in worry and concentration.

'You've verified that? You never had a steady touch when it came to tech stuff, big guy.' Bel chuckled and tilted his head at something off-screen.

'We both know I'm only good when it comes to ordnance. But this time I'm working with the best slicer this side of the Core. Trust me, my info's solid.' A feminine voice cut in.

'Time's up, big guy. We've gotta go now or the next patrol will catch us.' Bel nodded at his partner.

'I've got something else to check into, something that could be big for the family. Don't worry; I'll get ahold of you. Take care, Cat.' And then he was gone before she had a chance to reply. The Captain's face was unreadable for several long moments, and then she went back to being the cheerfully ferocious woman Corso knew.

'C'mon, Farm Boy, let's go get you some new duds. Think I saw a guy I know earlier...'

* * *

Bel glanced out of the corner he and Mako had squeezed into, waiting until he heard the duct cover get screwed back in place and felt his partner at the edge of his peripherals before relaxing a hair. He swiped his gaze sideways at the skinny little thing.

'I owe you, Mako,' he said simply. The small woman cocked her head at him curiously. It had been one huge risk, not to mention enormously expensive to her, to reach out to somebody in Republic space from the Sith capital on a call both encrypted and untraceable. Something had her Mirialan protector shaken, though, ever since they'd come off the _Black Talon_. It seemed completely out of character for him, but there it was. Well, nothing she could do about whatever was on Bel's mind. When he wanted to share, he'd share. Assuming he even wanted to in the first place. If he didn't, then no-one was getting bantha spit out of him. So she simply sighed, shook her head, and re-checked that her kit was all in one piece.

'Yes, you do. Let's just get going, yeah? This planet's dark and depressing enough without us adding our problems to it.' The bounty hunter chuffed at that, his feet beginning a heavy tromp to the speeder station.

'On that point, we agree.' The human didn't see his eyes lingering on a masked form ahead of them, conversing with some stiff Imperial officer.

_Who, and what, are you? _Bel didn't like any of the few possibilities he came up with, though only one of them was truly unsettling: He wasn't sure whether he disliked the Who or the What more.

* * *

'We have what now?' Cat blinked at the Neimoidian officer like he'd grown two heads. The alien cleared his throat before continuing.

'As I said, we have space reserved for you and your companion onboard the _Esseles_. It's a bit roomier than any of the shuttles you'd otherwise take, and the journey is quicker. Only downside is we're passing through a rough area of space, though unless somebody has a ship equipped with gravity wells sitting along the hyperlane, we'll be good,' he repeated. Corso, now attired in a long and supple duster and plainclothes hiding low-profile armour, heard Bel's warning words of a few hours prior echoing around his cranium, and judged by the Captain's posture that she was of the same mind. Serrase, having not been part of the conversation, lacked their caution, though he was smart enough to know that something was afoot.

'Something wrong, Midget?' the soldier asked from his position near the boarding hatch. The voluptuous woman's lips pursed together and she exhaled as the gears worked in her head. Finally she huffed and pushed past the greeter, whispering something to her brother that Corso couldn't quite catch. Shrugging internally, he simply kept pace with her throughout their check-in process and was shocked to discover that they were to share a room, alleviated as it was by having two bunks. Catilya dropped her pack on the floor and immediately claimed the top rack, scrambling up to lay down and brood thoughtfully for a bit. Corso tried sitting still and waiting, but after a few minutes of not having anything to do he felt like the walls were closing in. Not that he could do anything about it at the moment, if the shudder that ran the length of the ship was any indication. Groaning, he got up and was about to head out for a short jaunt when the door alarm beeped. A quick glance at the holocamera's feed revealed Serrase standing outside, and before Corso could call for her, Cat was opening up the hatch. The two somehow made room for the imposing bulk of the soldier, his Cathar companion standing rigidly outside.

'Farm Boy, you mind giving the two of us some time together?' Well, he hadn't expected that, but nonetheless it made sense. Nodding, the Mantellian patted himself to make sure that wallet, datapad, and holdout blaster were all in their places. Normally, the last wouldn't even be dreamed of, but Bel's message had him cautious and he'd rather have to give an embarrassed explanation about coming from a warzone than get caught with his trews down during a raid. In the passageway, he tagged the hatch shut and leaned against the bulkhead, mostly alone with the Cathar except for the occasional passenger. The feline humanoid stared off into space, ramrod posture a dead military giveaway, the low-profile armour he wore under the uniform notwithstanding. Feeling himself going stir-crazy again, Corso got the other soldier's attention.

'Hey, there a lounge or something nearby?' The man blinked, then pointed down past the mercenary.

'Just follow the passageway. Should run right into it.' Corso nodded his thanks.

''Preciate it.' True enough, he quickly found himself stepping out into the main guest lounge, taking a seat by one of the observation ports. By the time Cat found him, he'd dug well into a Mandalorian-style dish and been joined by two other passengers to his left. She sniffed the air experimentally and stared at his meal.

'Is that _tiingilar_?' He looked up at her somewhat in surprise.

'Most people can't even stand the smell without their nose hairs burning off.' The smuggler chuffed and stole his fork for a few bites.

'Most people don't understand good spice. Or Mandos. You can thank Bel that I do, by the way. And this stuff is weak. I dunno what they used, but those spices fail at _hetikles_.' At his puzzled look, she added, 'Roughly translated, noseburn. One of the Mandalorian cooking qualities. Like you said, burn the hairs right out of your nostrils. This'll make your eyes water some, nothing more.' While he hadn't expected the lesson in Mandalorian cuisine, it was nonetheless pleasant to talk with her and gain some insight to this amazing mystery of a woman. They were interrupted from further conversation when a blue digit tapped the Mirialan on her shoulder. Neither of them recognised the diminutive Twi'lek, though both sensed the nervous air about her.

'Captain Lulum? Could I have a moment of your time?'

* * *

'You rutting bitch!' Before anyone could restrain her, even the two Jedi they'd hooked up with in the lounge, Cat laid Asara out with a single hook. Serrase got an arm around her waist and lifted her bodily away before she could advance further, receiving an elbow to the face for the effort as his sister thrashed to get free.

'Cat, calm down, dammit!' He spun and loosened his grip enough to drop her to her feet, but not enough to throw her, utilising his freed hand to keep her back. Asara blinked and gingerly touched the rising welt replacing her cheekbone with a pained sound, then got to her feet slowly.

'That piece of bantha _poodoo_ wants to kill innocents for the sake of expediency, ignoring everything she supposedly stands for, and you want me to calm the fuck down?! Where in the Corellian Hells do you get off on defending her?! I don't have to remind you of Mirial, Serrase.' An audible intake of breath from the trooper's vocabulator and the sudden stiffening of his posture let them all know that the freighter jockey had hit a very serious nerve. Serrase was silent for several moments, beyond the notably heavier sounds of his breathing.

'Be that as it may, I'm sworn to the defence of Republic officials. You don't have to like it, but it means something to me. Regardless, we have our alternative. CHENG, you're sure the conduits will work?' The man staring at them from the other side of the ray shield gestured frantically.

'Who's the engineer here? The secondary conduits control the power flow to the bridge. Interrupt that for even a second, like you would with a reset, and you'll undo the lockdown! I promise it! Just keep that crazy woman out of here!' Catilya paced the corner Serrase kept her trapped in, gaze snapping at the ambassador as she spat curses with her usual foul and creative panache.

'Please, there's no need for that, Captain,' one of the Jedi admonished gently. 'Your anger is understandable, but we've more urgent matters at hand.' Cat's gaze slashed to the other Twi'lek in their little group, baby blues locking on to the Rutian's own grey-violets as she appraised the tall woman not for the first time. Even though she knew she was right, it didn't make it any easier to swallow, and it wouldn't have quite the effect the Knight hoped for, but it did abate the edge of her anger. A hand raised and she stabbed a finger at Asara.

'Try something like that again, and I'll even up your face.' With that, she shoved past Serrase at an agitated speed and stomped off. Sighing as he shouldered his rifle, Corso started after her. He heard the Jedi converse a moment before following. Serrase's stumping tread came from the rear. At the sound of blasterfire coming from ahead, the other Jedi, a Miraluka garbed in flowing off-white robes, spoke up.

'Go! We'll take the other side and meet in the middle.' With that, the group split, not that Corso hadn't already started into a dead sprint as soon as he heard the fighting begin, though by the time any of them arrived they could do little more than contribute to the speedy demise of a heavy war droid that Catilya had almost crippled. Serrase looked at his sister, shook his head, and trod over to the conduit's command console.

'Cap,' Corso began, stepping close to the woman. 'I know you're mad n' all, but getting yourself killed over it ain't gonna do any of us any good.' He inhaled to gather his courage before finishing. 'Taking it out on Serrase won't do anything but alienate him, too.' Cat's gaze was sharp enough to cut for a long moment, then she softened slightly.

'Yeah... Just... I thought better of her.' She glanced in the direction of her brother and her face shifted in a manner Corso couldn't quite define. 'Me, Bel, and him have been through a lot together...' The Mantellian got the feeling it went back to their conversation regarding her family, but he wasn't stupid enough to press his luck again so soon. Besides, at that moment they heard startled warbling and the hum of energy blades. With a grin at her partner, Cat stepped into the next engineering space with her blasters raised, stopping dead in surprise at the sight before them: The battle continued, but no-one else could quite move as they watched the two Jedi dismember the remaining droids. The Miraluka, Arimand, was all kinetic energy, sabrestaff wheeling in his hands as he scythed through the enemy with an efficiency nothing short of beautiful. His partner was more practical, using her blade to bat aside blaster shots as she closed before cleaving through the droid chassis with singular strikes, tight bladework ensuring she never came close to being marred. The heavy war droid guarding the conduit console fell without much fuss, both Jedi impaling its optics with simultaneous blows. As it sagged, they recovered, sabres murmuring into silence, and looked at each other. After a moment, snarky grins were plastered on their faces.

'I think you're getting better, Arri.' The Twi'lek chuffed and playfully jabbed at his shoulder with a wink.

'And I think you would've been unhappy letting that first droid shoot you, Ari.' The pale man simply chuckled and waved at the approaching group in greeting. Everyone was silent.

'So... That was impressive,' Corso blurted. Both aliens simply bowed their heads in acknowledgement and thanks. Serrase's vocabulated voice brought them back to their situation.

'We should get back to the ambassador. I doubt any more Imps are around, but even still we're done here.' His Cathar companion nodded silently. When they found Asara again, she was speaking with Salen. The engineer rattled off something from a datapad as they stepped close, a shit-eating grin dominating his face.

'It worked! Just like I said.'He threw a sneer at the diminutive Twi'lek. 'Told you it would.' Asara nodded and let the needling jibe pass.

'He's right: I don't know how your group managed it, but it worked; the security doors around the bridge are now open.' Catilya hooked her thumbs into her belt and stepped to within a hand's span of the other woman, eyeing the swollen side of her face.

'I'm not an ambassador, or a tech or soldier or engineer, but I know what I'm doing. So does Salen. Try trusting him next time, instead of keeping that heart of yours like ice. Empire does that already.' Asara flinched slightly when the Mirialan raised a hand, though she simply tapped twice on the centre of her chest before getting out of the woman's personal space. Bell'aria smiled diplomatically. The aqua-skinned Rutian kept her peace for a few standard seconds and then spoke again.

'Well, even with the lockdown out of the way, you'll all still have to deal with Ironfist, and that's anything but a small challenge.' Catilya managed to not roll her eyes, setting her fists on her hips as her weight shifted onto one leg.

'Honey, I started learning about Mandalorians the day my brother decided he was going to be one when he grew up.' The Cathar, Jorgan, furrowed his brow and glanced over at Serrase as the others threw questioning looks her way. The Mirialan simply shrugged. 'That's Bel for ya,' she said enigmatically.

'Still,' Asara continued, 'you should be aware that Ironfist has never even so much as been driven back. Thanks to him, Kilran always gets what he wants. And he's now on the bridge.' One side of Catilya's mouth curled in a smirk as her eyes shone. Serrase allowed the tiniest sigh of exasperation past his lips.

'Let's get this over with before she goes rampaging on her own...'

* * *

'Puuuuushoveeeeeerr,' Cat drawled, cutting through the binding straps holding the bridge crew hostage. Haken winced as he got to his feet, the blood flow returning to his extremities bringing the unpleasant sensation of pins and needles. Bell'aria's gaze was almost admonishing.

'Not everyone in the galaxy possesses the quick draw skills you do, Captain. I would imagine that had Ironfist been wearing a _beskar_ helmet, things would have been much different.' Catilya shrugged with that flippant smirk of hers.

'That's his own damn fault. Can't help it if I'm that good a shot.' Corso looked at her incredulously.

'Cap, you overclocked your blasters. You probably would've dented the armour in enough to crush his heart if you'd aimed at his chest.'

'Genius, innit?' Catilya's gaze carried a slightly maniacal gleam. The Mantellian shook his head. 'The _beskar_ woulda deflected the shots, but it's the kinetic energy behind the shot ya need to worry about. Even if that force were re-directed, it'd still hit him first and stars know what would happen.'

The first officer watched their banter with the kind of odd lack of assurance one would expect from listening to a pair of psychopaths, eventually mustering up the courage to speak a bit.

'Um... Thank you, first off. But I'm afraid we've still got problems here...'

* * *

Haken's face contorted, jaw dropping and eyes bulging out with the kind of gut-wrenching pain every man cringes at simply by witnessing, body curling in on itself even as he was lifted into the air. Not even half a metre away, Catilya's face was snarled into a rictus of rage, fists clenched as she brought the full force of her kick into the man's pubic bone. Then he toppled into a boneless heap, carefully clutching at himself as the Mirialan lifted him partially off the deckplates by his uniform collar.

'You rutting sonuvabitch!' Each word was punctuated with a hammer-blow punch to his face, and the smuggler would've continued were she not, again, restrained, this time by Corso. Even with all her kicking and thrashing, the mercenary managed to get her into the elevator with little more than a bruise or two, the Miraluka Jedi and Trandoshan following to help calm her down.

'Go Ari, we'll handle things here,' Bell'aria said, voice raised over the din of Cat's ever-present swearing. Arimand nodded and tagged the turbolift panel without looking, doors closing before they whisked off.

'Cap, stop it!' Under normal circumstances, Corso would have been surprised by the commanding tone he took. For now, though, he just wanted her to stop grinding her derriere against him, and that's what she did, twisting around to look at him with arched eyebrows. Then that gods-defying smirk asserted itself again and promptly disappeared when he placed a finger on her lips, eliciting a small sound of surprise in her throat.

'I know you're mad. Heck, I am too. But throwing punches at the people who run this boat won't do us any favours in the long run.' He found it oddly disconcerting that he himself had been about to lay into Haken before Catilya had beaten him to it. Corso's grip loosened but did not let go. 'Now look, we're gonna go get the bastards responsible for all this craziness. Save that energy for them, yeah?' Cat was still breathing heavily with her mood swing, but nodded and leaned back into him, catching him by surprise.

'Fucking hell, Farm Boy...' she muttered. He judged that she wasn't really all that angry with him. Irritated, maybe, but not angry. Corso glanced up at the lift's other two occupants. Despite not having any eyes whatsoever, he could _feel_ the Jedi's gaze on him intently. Silence stretched for a few awkward moments.

'Impressive, Corso Riggs.' He smiled sheepishly a bit and lifted his shoulders. Arimand's mahogany hair swayed as he shook his head. 'I doubt I could have calmed her without using the Force, and I do my best to keep that to a minimum.' Before any questions could be asked, the turbolift stopped and the door hissed open. Arimand stood to the side and indicated for everyone else to precede him.

'Come. We've a ship to save, no?'

* * *

'Get us out of here, Plex!' The fat navigator worked quickly, barking out a few orders from his console as he tapped furiously at the holoscreen. Everyone held their breath as they felt the ship shift around them, the _Emperor's Glory_ falling away while Plex manoeuvred the _Esseles_ for a quick jump, and then pinpoints of light streaked by. Hyperspace. Sighs of relief. Cat suppressed the urge to fall into a nearby chair and carefully sat herself.

'We made it,' Jorgan said, perhaps unnecessarily, though no-one said so. They were just glad to be out of turbolaser range. Corso caressed a sore spot on his arm where a blaster bolt had dented his armour. They could all have used a bit of R &R then, but they still had to finish up. Speaking of which... Asara trotted out from her hiding spot behind Serrase and the Trandoshan to cut off Harken mid-speech, his voice actually crackling a bit. He recovered with an awkward smoothness, rubbing his hands together.

'Ambassador, it's... it's good to see you alive and whole.' The diminutive Twi'lek's scowl actually made him shrink back.

'I was led to believe otherwise, Haken...' The man's eyes flicked up at the surrounding group. Cat spat bloody saliva on the deckplates while the others held their silence.

'Why would you- I have no idea what you-' he stammered.

'Oh drop the act before you embarrass me,' Cat interjected. 'Did you really think I wouldn't tell her after what happened over by the lifts?'

'Thank you for that, Captain,' Asara replied. 'I think I'll be talking to some friends of mine when we reach Coruscant.' Haken's fear was palpable and he chattered incessantly until someone got a pair of masters-at-arms to take him away. Plex took over bridge operations for the time being and thanked them all with far more sincerity than Haken had shown, then asked that they try and enjoy the rest of the day-long journey. They were all escorted to the med bay before going anywhere, though, and despite her best efforts, Cat couldn't quite hide all her injuries and got more doses of kolto and painkillers than anyone else save Bell'aria and Corso. The Trandoshan, Qyzen, bluntly refused most treatment and cited his species' natural regeneration before excusing himself. Corso and the Captain leaned on each other more heavily than they thought on the way back to their quarters, thanks to the numbing properties of their medications. Arimand stayed to keep his fellow Jedi company, as she had taken the brunt of the injuries and would need more time for the medics to work their magick. In their room, Corso and Cat struggled to get into bed, going so far as to totally discard dignity and strip down to their sleeping clothes in front of each other. Catilya clumsily claimed Corso's rack, not bothering to try and co-ordinate climbing to the top bunk.

'Farm Boy...?' Cat said sleepily from her commandeered mattress.. He simply made a wordless sound. 'C'mere... Need summin t'warm me...' The Mantellian, under other circumstances, would've immediately blushed and stammered his way into bed, but he was too tired and too medicated to really care, simply falling onto the rack and curling back-to-back with his Captain. Not even Cat's snoring woke them.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks for reading. Hope y'all enjoyed. I'll put up mugshots (or the links to mugshots) with the next chapter.


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